Folding table



E. G. CHoRMANN.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1:.

(No Model.)

FOLDING TABLE.

Patented May 8, 1894 la (@kiq '(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. G. OHORMANN. FOLDING TABLE. No. 519,379. Patented-May 8, 1894. Flay Flei. Y

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' legs closed, as in Fig. 4. Fig. 6, is a detached UNiTED l STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

ERNEST G. CHORMANN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,379, dated May 8, 1894.

Application filed April 19, 1893. Serial No. 470,997. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST G. CHORMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented 5 certain Improvements in Folding Tables, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is t0 construct a cheap folding table which will fold in a compact manner and yet be perfectly rigid when extended. This object I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is alon'gitudinal sectional view of my improved table extended. Fig. 2, is an inverted plan view of the table shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3, is an inverted plan view showing the legs moved over to close. Fig. 4, is an inverted plan view showing the legs closed down upon theI under side of the table top. Fig. 5, is a longitudinal sectional view showing the perspective view of one of the leg sections. Figs. 7 and 8, are inverted plan views illustrating a modification showing the legs in the two positions. Fig. 9, is a section on theline 1-2, Fig. 7. Figs. 10 and 1l,are perspective views of further modications of the leg sections; and Figs. 12 and 13, are inverted plan views of a portion ot the table, showing other modications.

A is the table top havingailange or boxing a secured to its underside. Within this boxing are folded the legs of the table. As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, the legs B, B of each section are mounted on a support in the form of a bar B having hinge plates b through which passes the hinge pintle C. This pintle in the present instance is in the form of a rod extending across the table and mounted in the side flanges or boxing a, of the table. The hinge joint of each leg section is so formed that the entire leg section can have a limited lateral movement.-

Secured to the under side of the table directly in front of the legs when they are in the position shown in Fig. 2, are blocks `D forming `sockets so that when the legs are moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2, they pass back of the blocks and are thus held rigidly in Y place, preventing them folding upon the uncan be folded upon the `under side of the table as shown in Fig. 5. By this construction, I am enabled to fold the legs ilat upon the under side of the table within the flange or boxing ci, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the table when folded will take up very little `room and can be packed away or shipped in small compass, and as theleg's are within the boxing, they are to a certain extent protected. When it is wished to set up the table the leg sections are turned at right angles to the table top as shown in Fig. 3 and then the operating bar is moved moving one leg section in one direction and the other in the opposite direction to the position shown in Fig. 2. By this movement the legs are locked in position back ofthe blocks and are arranged equidistant from the longitudinal center line of the table. It will be noticed in the views above described that the four legs are movable transversely and that the two legs are se-` cured rigidly together.

In Figs. '7, 8 and 9,1 have shown a construction in which each end leg section is pivoted so as to be folded upon the under side of the table, but only one leg of each section :is laterally movable. The support in this instance is a hollow bar B', and adapted to it is a sliding extension B2 grooved to fit the tongue in the piece F within the cross bar. When open the movable legs are supported by this piece, as shown in Fig. 9. The anges b of the bar B extend on each side of the movable .leg so as to steady the leg and allow it to move only toward and from the opposite leg, which is rigidly secured to the barB. The bar B may be hinged to the under side of the table top as shown in Fig. 7, or may have the hinge shownin Fig. 1.

It will be seen on referring to Fig. 8, that the two legs which are rigidly secured to their cross bars are arranged diagonallyopposite each other so that they can be turned down one against one side flange and the other against the other side flange of the table, while the movable legs can be moved toward the center a distance sufficient to fold down upon the table alongside of the other leg, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

In Fig. lO I have shown the support for the legs made in two parts, B4, B6, the part B4 having a pin b2, thus forming a sliding connection for the movable legs; and in Fig. l1, I have shown the support in the form of a large pintle B5 adapted to a bearing block a secured to the table top and flange.

In Fig. 12, I have shown a construction somewhat similar to Fig. 11; in this instance the blocks D are recessed forming a socket to receive the rounded portion of the legs and one of the blocks forms with an additional bearing block, the bearing for the pintle B5.

In Fig. 13,1 have shown one form in which two of the legs of the table which are diagonally opposite each other, are simply hinged so as turn down upon the under side of the table, while the other legs are doubly hinged, the leg is hinged to a section B3 so as to turn down upon the under side of the table, and this section is pivoted to the fixed portion of the table by a vertical pintle b3, so that it can turn to the position shown by dotted lines when the leg is moved at right angles to the table top 3 thus the leg is securely held in the vertical position, but can be readily folded so as to rest within and alongside of the opposite leg when folded.

It will be noticed in all these modifications that the arrangement is such that thelegs of one section can be folded alongside of the leg of the opposite section and accordingly it will be seen that in all cases the lateral movement of the legs must at least be greater than half the diameter of the leg in order to effect this result. In some instances both legs are movable, and in other instances one leg of each section is movable. It will be understood that the table may be made of any material and of any size, and suitably ornamented.

I claim as my inventionl. In a folding table, the combination with the top thereof, of legs pivotally secured to said table, arranged symmetrically at the corners of the table when open, and laterally movable a distance greater than half the diameter 'of the legs, whereby said legs may be folded past each other and lie against the under side of the top when folded, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in afolding table, of the table top, the flange or b oxing thereunder, pivots at each end of the table, leg sections mounted on said pivots'so as to swing thereon, and arranged symmetrically when open said leg sections being less in length than the y Width of the'box so they can slide laterally on the pivots to pass one another in folding,sub stantially as described.

3. The combination in afoldingtable, of the box top, pivots mounted therein, end leg sections mounted on said pivots and adapted to slide laterally thereon, blocks in front of said sections so that when the sections are moved in one position theyare locked by the blocks, and when moved in the other position are clear of the blocks and can be folded, substantially as described.

4. The combination in a folding table, ofthe table top, the end leg sections pivoted thereto and laterally movable, blocks for lockingthe legs in the vertical position at equal distances from the four corners of the table, with an operating lever connecting the two end sections together whereby they are moved in unison, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST G. CHORMANN.

Witnesses:

EDWIN A. Gauss, HENRY HowsoN. 

